Models of natural and human dynamics in forest landscapes: Cross-site and cross-cultural synthesis

We synthesize the study of coupled natural and human systems across sites and cultures through a process of simplification and abstraction based on multiple dimensions of human-nature connectedness: satisfaction of basic needs, psycho-cultural connectedness and regulation of use of natural resources. We thus provide both a place-based and general understanding of value-driven anthropogenic environmental change and response. Two questions guide this research: what are the crucial stakeholder values that drive land use decisions and thus land cover change? And how can knowledge of these values be used to make decisions and policies that sustain both the human and natural systems in a place? To explore these questions we build simulation models of four study sites, two in the State of Texas, United States, and two in Venezuela. All include protected areas, though they differ in the specifics of vegetation and land use. In the Texas sites, relatively affluent individuals are legally converting forests to residential, commercial, and industrial uses, while in Venezuela landless settlers are extra-legally converting forests for purposes of subsistence agriculture. Contemporary modeling techniques now facilitate simulations of stakeholder and ecosystem dynamics revealing emergent patterns. Such coupled human and natural systems are currently recognized as a form of biocomplexity. Our modeling framework is flexible enough to allow adaptation to each of the study sites, capturing the essential features of the respective natural and anthropogenic land use changes and stakeholder reactions. The interactions between human stakeholders are simulated using multi-agent models that act on forest landscape models, and receive feedback of the effects of these actions on ecological habitats and hydrological response. The multi-agent models employ a formal logic-based method for the Venezuelan sites and a decision analysis approach using multi-attribute utility functions for the Texas sites, differing more in style and emphasis than in substance. Our natural-systems models are generic and can be tailored according to site-specific conditions. Similar models of tree growth and patch transitions are used for all the study sites and the differing responses to environmental variables are specified for each local species and terrain conditions.     

Spatial Modeling and Analysis for Shoreline Change Detection and Coastal Erosion Monitoring

Coastal erosion presents a serious problem throughout U.S. coastal areas. The Ohio Geological Survey estimates that more than 3,200 acres of Ohio's Lake Erie shore have been lost to erosion since the 1870s, resulting in economic losses exceeding tens of millions of dollars per year. This article presents research results of a project that monitors shoreline erosion using high-resolution imagery and examines erosion causes. Spatial modeling and analysis methods are applied to the project area along the south shore of Lake Erie. The shoreline is represented as a dynamically-segmented linear model that is linked to a large amount of data describing shoreline changes. A new method computes an instantaneous shoreline using a digital water level model, a coastal terrain model, and bathymetric data. This method provides an algorithm for deriving the Mean-Lower Low Water (MLLW) and the Mean High Water (MHW) shorelines that are essential to navigation charts. The results describe a part of our effort towards a coastal spatial information infrastructure to support management and decision-making in the dynamic coastal environment.     

SeagrassNet monitoring across the Americas: case studies of seagrass decline

Seagrasses are an important coastal habitat worldwide and are indicative of environmental health at the critical land–sea interface. In many parts of the world, seagrasses are not well known, although they provide crucial functions and values to the world's oceans and to human populations dwelling along the coast. Established in 2001, SeagrassNet, a monitoring program for seagrasses worldwide, uses a standardized protocol for detecting change in seagrass habitat to capture both seagrass parameters and environmental variables. SeagrassNet is designed to statistically detect change over a relatively short time frame (1–2 years) through quarterly monitoring of permanent plots. Currently, SeagrassNet operates in 18 countries at 48 sites; at each site, a permanent transect is established and a team of people from the area collects data which is sent to the SeagrassNet database for analysis. We present five case studies based on SeagrassNet data from across the Americas (two sites in the USA, one in Belize, and two in Brazil) which have a common theme of seagrass decline; the study represents a first latitudinal comparison across a hemisphere using a common methodology. In two cases, rapid loss of seagrass was related to eutrophication, in two cases losses related to climate change, and in one case, the loss is attributed to a complex trophic interaction resulting from the presence of a marine protected area. SeagrassNet results provide documentation of seagrass change over time and allow us to make scientifically supported statements about the status of seagrass habitat and the extent of need for management action.     

高原大地形及海洋热力强迫对东亚及北半球环流和气候变化影响的观测研究

本文总结了“青藏高原大地形及西太平洋暖池势力强迫对东亚及全球气候变化的影响”专题五年来的主要研究工作。其中包括青世故高原东部大气热源的时间演变特征,夏半年高原热源异常对我国降水和北半球环流的影响;西沙海温变化特征及其与我南方降水的关系,北太平洋海温主因子特征及其与华南前汛期降水的变化。     

连续小波变换在新疆地震活动周期分析中的应用

利用连续小波变换分析和研究了 1 970年 1月— 2 0 0 1年 1 2月新疆地区 30年来的地震活动情况。结果表明 ,新疆地震活动存在比较稳定的 1 0年左右活动周期 ,并存在 5年和 1 7年左右的不稳定的准活动周期 ,也就是说新疆地区地震活动既存在比较稳定的优势周期 ,也存在一定的时变性。根据 MS≥ 4.7地震时间序列的连续小波变换结果可推测 ,2 0 0 2— 2 0 0 5年新疆地区地震活动相对偏弱 ,中、强地震的发生次数偏少 ,有可能发生 5级或 6级地震 ,而到 2 0 0 6— 2 0 0 7年新疆有可能再次发生 7级左右的大地震。     

Transition and Diversity in Rural Housing Provision: The case of Narrogin,Western Australia

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changing dynamics of housing markets in an Australian rural community. With reference to the case of Narrogin, Western Australia, it argues that there is an increasing disjuncture between the social and demographic characteristics of rural residents and the modal form of housing in country towns, namely the detached family house. Factors contributing to this disjuncture include the ageing of the population, the loss of traditional blue-collar employment, sub-regional restructuring of service provision, retirement migration patterns, and growing acceptance of the particular housing needs of groups such as the aged, the disabled, young and indigenous people. While it is clear that there is currently something of a mismatch between the characteristics of the population and the housing stock in Narrogin, it is also evident that a combination of political, cultural and economic factors form a significant barrier to adjustment in the local housing market.     

广州市人口空间分布特征及演变趋势分析

本文分析了广州市人口空间分布现状特征，历史上发展特点和建国后至改革开放前人口发展情况，并对改革开放以来人口空间分布的变化作了动态分析，发现改革开放以前广州市中心区和郊区人口密度都在增加，但市中心区增加较快，而改革开放以来在广州市总人口较速增长的情况下，内部人口变动日趋明显，中心区人口密度在减少，外围区人口密度在增加，认为广州市的人口分布正从年龄阶段转向成熟阶段。     

塔克拉玛干沙漠土壤沙化发生条件及对土壤性状影响

土壤沙化是土壤发育逆向演替恢复母质特性的过程，土壤沙化发生条件可以概括为４个方面：土壤干旱是沙化的根本条件、植被衰败为风沙活动创造了条件、土壤质地轻是沙化物质基础、大风和频繁起沙风是沙化的动力条件。土壤沙化结果使土壤粗粒化、贫瘠化，同时也使土壤含盐量降低。     

山东省夏季高温气候变化特征分析

对比分析山东省夏季1961～1990年和1971～2000年前后30年极端最高气温和高温日数的分布和变化，得知山东省夏季高温的气候变化存在明显的地域性差异，东部地区高温有所增多，西部地区明显减少。利用统计方法分析山东省各地高温多年变化特征，发现夏季高温日数和极端最高气温均存在明显的年代际变化，且东西部变化不尽相同；在60年代末70年代初全省夏季极端最高气温发生了一次转折性变化。